Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a process including the generation and management of digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of physical spaces. Building Information Models (BIMs) are files (often but not always in proprietary formats and containing proprietary data) which can be exchanged or networked to support decision-making.
Current BIM software is used by individuals, businesses and government authorities who plan, design, construct, operate and maintain diverse physical infrastructures, from water, wastewater, electricity, gas, refuse and communication utilities to roads, bridges and ports, from houses, apartments, schools and shops to offices, factories, warehouses and prisons, etc.
However, there are a number of problems associated with creating three dimensional models (3D) from two dimensional (2D) data building information modeling (BIM).
One problem is that poor BIM software interoperability has long been regarded as an obstacle to industry efficiency in general and to BIM adoption in particular. In August 2004 the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued a report which conservatively estimated that $15.8 billion was lost annually by the U.S. capital facilities industry due to inadequate interoperability arising from “the highly fragmented nature of the industry, the industry's continued paper based business practices, a lack of standardization, and inconsistent technology adoption among stakeholders”.
Another problem is existing BIM 3D modeling programs cannot be easily extended for new products.
Another problem is that it is not easy to create new 3D models for existing 3D modeling programs.
Another problem is that new 3D models used on one 3D modeling program are not in a format that is directly compatible with a second 3D modeling program.
Another problem is that 3D modeling programs file formats are proprietary and are difficult to create new 3D models for.
Another problems is that it is not easy to create composite 3D models from plural 3D object models from different sources.
There have been attempts to solve some of the problems associated with adding news models for BIM. For example, U.S Published Application No. US 20100070241A1 published by Per-Olav Opdahl teaches “A computer-implemented method for producing a data representation of a specific building, in particular in the form of a house instance building information model (house instance BIM), by using a processor. A set of house product configuration data and a configuration rule instruction are retrieved, a first configuration input is received, the first configuration input triggers (a) the application of the at least one configuration rule instruction to the set of house product configuration data by using a configuration program that is executed in the processor to instantiate a configured house instance structure (HIS) formed of a plurality of HIS elements, or (b) the retrieval of a pre-instantiated house instance structure (HIS) and the application of the at least one configuration rule instruction to the set of houseproduct configuration data and to the pre-instantiated house instance structure by using a configuration program that is executed in the processor to produce a configured house instance structure (HIS) formed of a plurality of HIS elements. From a product BIM (PBIM) element data store (160) a plurality of PBIM elements are retrieved, each of which corresponds to a respective HIS element among the plurality of HIS elements. A BIM element instance is created for each retrieved PBIM element by applying to the retrieved PBIM element a parameter value or a relational property on the basis of information carried by the respective HIS element. A houseinstance BIM is formed by assembling the created BIM element instances.”
U.S Published Patent Application US20120215500A1 published by Elisa Ciuti teaches “A method and associated device relate to the enhancement of a digital model of a building using a computer, wherein: a) the digital model is analyzed in order to identify the elements that make up the building and have specific characteristics in the building; b) construction products which have properties that match said characteristics are defined; and c) the digital model is enhanced by adding, for every element that makes up the model, data from at least one list of suitable construction products.”
U.S Published Patent Application US20120310906A1 published by Miller et al. teaches “Systems and methods are disclosed for tracking the content of building information models. Embodiments include various computer-implemented methods for the tagging of BIM information, and for the monitoring of modification events involving BIM information. In addition, activities involving physical elements associated with BIM information are tracked. Providers of BIM content can tag content prior to distribution, enabling an internet-based service to track usage, enabling improved service to consumers of that BIM content. Designers can tag BIM content and BIM elements for tracking during the useful life of a building. Internet based messaging protocols can be used for communication between web services, client services and client applications. Monitoring and communication services function unattended. The system includes integration with BIM design applications, as well as stand-alone, end user system applications and browser interfaces. Analytic tools can be used to report on the tracking data.”
U.S Published Patent Application US20120310906A1 published by Arnold et al. teaches “A building information management (BIM) system is provided with a library platform that supports a toolset with novel functionality. Embodiments of the invention provide a library of products that can be used in a BIM and provide a virtual product set with improved functionality and more detailed information about the products. The library of products includes virtual products that comprise parametrically described data objects. The toolset includes an editor with which the virtual products can be edited and modified. The library of virtual products can be configured for interoperability with multiple BIM systems.”
International Patent Application WO 2011051639 A1 published by Elisa Cuiti teaches “The present invention relates to the enhancement of a digital model of a building using computer means, wherein: a) the digital model is analysed (S1, S3) in order to identify the elements that make up the building and have specific characteristics in the building; b) construction products which have properties that match said characteristics are defined (S5); and c) the digital model is enhanced (S7) by adding, for every element that makes up the model, data from at least one list of suitable construction products.”
U.S. Issued U.S. Pat. No. 8,427,473 that issued to Elsberg, et al. teaches “An electronically implemented method of on-site visualization of building information model data, the method constituted of: loading a 3D scene comprising building information model data; receiving real time positional information comprising geographic coordinate information and orientation information; rendering a pseudo-realistic image of the loaded 3D scene responsive to the real time positional information; and displaying the rendered pseudo-realistic image. Preferably the method further provides for displaying engineering information of the building information model responsive to the real time positional information. Preferably, the pseudo-realistic image provides shadowing responsive to real time chronographic information and the received real time positional information.”
U.S. Issued U.S. Pat. No. 8,484,231 that issued to Li et al. teaches “A process includes mapping a data format in an object in a source schema to a data format in an object in a destination schema. The process includes defining an attribute mapping, defining a relation between the data format in the object in the source and the data format in the object in the destination, mapping the data format in the object in the source to the data format in the object in the destination, and converting the data format in the object in the source to another data format within the source. When the object in the source has no analog in destination, a foreign object is introduced into the destination, and when the object in the destination refers to one or more dependent objects, one or more instances of referred objects are generated according to a predefined policy in the mapping.”
However, none of these solutions solves all of the problems associated with adding new models for BIM.
Thus, it is desirable to solve some of the problems associated creating three dimensional (3D) models for BIM.